BANGKOK, Nov. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Forum on Human Settlements 2018 successfully convened as an observance of the World Cities Day 2018 between 30-31 October at UN Conference Center, Bangkok. Themed as Advancing Urban Innovations to Achieve SDG 11 and New Urban Agenda (NUA), the two-day event drew over 400 participants from more than 40 countries including Mr. Hongjoo Hahm, Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCAP; Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Chairman of GFHS, Former UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative; minister-level officials from Vanuatu, Thailand and other governments; mayors; experts; and business leaders.

Representatives from various sectors announced commitments to support sustainable and resilient cities. The Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards (SCAHSA) were presented to 36 winners, including Hua Hin, Thailand; Indore, India; Kalundborg Symbiosis, Denmark; Qingdao Sino-German Ecopark, China; and Arcadis Shelter Program, among others. The awardees have significantly contributed to sustainable cities and human settlements.

The Forum was organized by the Global Forum on Human Settlements with support from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, in cooperation with Global One Belt One Road Association, Universal Peace Federation and concerned organizations.

SDG 11 is the lynchpin of the localizing process of all 17 goals. The Forum emphasized the great potential of cities to foster innovation and realize green growth, and the profound significance of well-designed policies and strategies to maximize the benefits of local actions. It called for comprehensive, cooperative, pragmatic and equal partnership by breaking the political, economic, social, gender and geographic hierarchy.

An IGMC 3-D animation film, based on the life of the SaSa family of three and inspired by IGMC Standards 3.0, provided a visual representation of what a greener city looks like. A training session was conducted to facilitate the integration of IGMC Standards 3.0 into urban planning and development. The Standards is an assessment and planning tool for sustainable urban development, providing technical means and evaluation methods for implementing SDGs and NUA at local level.

The Forum came to a productive close by setting the way forward and calling to enhance the localization of SDGs and achieve the transition to green growth through developing circular economy, scaling up financing for sustainable urban infrastructure, sustainably managing urban water, applying innovative technologies for smart cities, building enhanced partnership and creating international green model cities.